Nürburg, Germany — A quarter of a mile beyond a coffee stop on the V12 Vantage's launch, the route encountered a series of tunnels. There's only one course of action to take when you're piloting a 510-bhp V-12 sports car — lower the windows, downshift a gear and nail the throttle. The 3700-lb. 2-seater lunged forward with ferocity, while the sound bouncing off the tunnel walls was like a Gatling gun. The last time I heard anything this evocative was at Le Mans, as the DBR9s screamed down the pit straight. Like then, the Aston's engine note bristled the hairs on the back of my neck; who said the Italians have global rights to great engine sounds?

Creating this limited edition Aston (only about 1000 will be built and right now there's no plan for U.S. sales) wasn't simply a case of shoehorning the V-12 into the space you'd normally find the Vantage's . Aerodynamic as well as suspension changes were required, especially at the rear to accommodate the bigger wheels and tires.

With its heavily vented hood, the V12 Vantage has the menacing air of a track car, but slip into the optional one-piece carbon-fiber bucket seat, grip the Alcantara-clad steering wheel and it becomes a totally civilized performance car. That is, until you press the Start button and the V-12 immediately bursts to 2000 rpm before settling back to a steady idle. A few revs are needed to get moving, but once underway the engine is remarkably tractable and capable of pulling from 1000 rpm right through to the car's 190-mph top speed in 6th gear. A firm hand is required to change gears, but the action is more instinctive than the 's gated shifter.

Although the steering on the current V8 Vantage is improved over the original's, it still falls short of the 's intimacy. All that has changed with the more focused V12 Vantage. Bigger, 9-in.-wide front wheels with 255/35ZR-19 tires and a marginal change in weight distribution (now 51 percent at the front) make the steering feel heavier, but with improved feedback and linearity. Lowering the suspension by 0.6 in. along with 45 percent stiffer springs results in a firm but not unduly harsh ride on all but the roughest of roads.

Engage the Sport button and the quicker throttle response makes it feel as if you've just kicked in an afterburner. Fortunately, vented carbon-ceramic discs at all four corners unerringly scrub speed off whenever asked.

The V12 Vantage is a car that challenges you to drive it hard and rewards you with a truly exceptional motoring experience. It is the most focused Aston Martin you can buy today, with the best engineering to date.